WNBA superstar Brittney Griner remains in Russian custody after she was sentenced to nine years in prison.
Griner had hash oil in her luggage while traveling through a Russian airport. She was doing so in order to play in a Russian professional basketball league to make extra money.
With current WNBA players well aware of the Griner situation, it was fair to wonder if they’d continue to travel overseas to play in other leagues. Well, according to a report from the New York Times, that answer is “yes.”
However, it’s unclear if any plan to play in Russia.
Here’s more via the NYT:
“Playing overseas remains extremely popular for W.N.B.A. players seeking to earn more money or gain more pro experience, but several agents and players told The New York Times that, because of Griner’s ordeal and the war, they did not know of anyone who would be playing in Russia this off-season. The W.N.B.A. said it did not have a complete list of players going abroad because its playoffs are underway.”
It’s difficult to see any WNBA player choosing to support a Russian professional league given everything that’s happened to Griner.